HOLDING FAST

Love and Order series

by

Jeanine Binder

GENRE: Contemporary Romance

......Been there, done that – there wasn’t much that Eli Walker hadn’t experienced as a cop. Even working in one of the better precincts in New York City didn’t help dispel the depravity he saw on a daily basis. It was all part and parcel of his mantra of living life in the now, not worrying about the future.

And especially with women. No strings, no attachments, and he made that perfectly clear before he ever bedded them. Relationships were not on his agenda – not now, not anytime in the near future. Women flocked to him and he could take his pick; himself exiting the encounter with what he’d wanted and leaving them aching for more, left dreaming of his curly locks and bronze body.

A chance encounter pulling a mugger off of a woman changed his whole world. She was blonde and beautiful – Eli didn’t care about any of the interracial politics that would surround any serious relationship. He just knew he had to have Ainsley, like an alcoholic needs his next drink. This was all new territory for Eli and could he stay to the path, all the way to its end? Or would she be like all the others in his life ?…...

I felt her press into me for warmth. I wrap my legs around hers, pulling her body firmly against mine. I knew I gave off a lot of heat – previous women in my bed had likened me to an oversized space heater. Am sure my size had a lot to do with it and it made being outside in the cold New York winters much more palatable. I was perfectly content to lay there and watch this gorgeous woman sleep. She’d slipped my shirt on after we finished and there was nothing sexier than seeing the tails fall just to the top of her thighs. My imagination did double time thinking how I would like it to be my hand there instead of my shirt, but I didn’t want to wake her up. Well, at least not for a few minutes anyway. I was already up and ready so that wasn’t an issue – no Viagra or Cialis in my future – but I was treasuring this first for me. The first of waking up to a beautiful woman in my arms because, in my previous encounters, no one ever woke up in my bed with me. And I never stayed all night in theirs.

Relationships were something I ignored. I couldn’t remember what started me down that path –it probably had something to do with some weekend liberty when I was in the Army, as we would all go down to the local bar, get shit-faced drunk, and pick up women. Now I was having all sorts of thoughts. Before, getting married and having kids, like my partner, was far from my mind. That was, until I pulled some asshole off Ainsley and she came to the station to thank me. So … what did I want with her? Did I want something forever and go down the white picket fence lined road? I wasn’t sure, but what I did know was I didn’t want to ever see her with anyone else. I’d kill anyone who touched what was mine. And maybe it was a temporary thing and wouldn’t last. But I was certainly going to put forth some effort into exploring these feelings were which were causing my mouth to go dry and my heart to race whenever I saw her look at me with those crystal blue eyes. I wanted to keep her wrapped in my arms so I could protect her from everything evil. I never had those kinds of feelings before I met her.

Jeanine Binder grew up in a small town in California on the outskirts of Palm Springs, where the Hollywood celebrities liked to vacation. After thirty years, she packed up, moved to Arkansas where she still lives today. Her hobbies include her writing, reading good books, and seeing exotic places (loves to go on cruises).

Writing has always been a passion and hoping the next twenty years will bring many enjoyable books for others to read.